Kite



NOV. 19, 1940. M CARRASCO 2,222,492

KITE

Filed May 15, 1939 INVENTOR. MWVUEL 64/9/9145'60.

9- ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES OFFICE KITE Application May 13, 1939, Serial No. 273,407

11 Claims.

My invention relates to kites of the type comprising a wing having substantial area.

My invention has further reference to a kite comprising a wing above which a rotor is sup- 5 ported for free rotatable movement.

My invention has further reference to a kite of the character described having a readily detachable rotor and a foldable rotor support.

Various other objects, advantages and features of my invention will become apparent from the following description.

My invention resides in the kite, rotor kite, features and combinations of the character hereinafter described and claimed.

For an understanding of my invention and for an illustration of some of the many forms thereof, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan View of a kite. as constructed 20 in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the kite shown in Fig, 1;

3 is an enlarged elevational View, partly in section, showing the foldable support for the kite rotor;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevational view, partly in section, showing the rotor support in folded position;

Fig. 5 is a plan view, partly broken away, of a rotor blade;

"lg. 6 is an elevational view, partly in section, taken on the line 6--% of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows;

'7 is an elevational View, partly in section, taken on the line 'Il of Fig. looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing detached parts of a rotor bearing;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 99 of Fig. 8 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a modified rotor support; and

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional View, partly in elevation, taken on the line lI--H of Fig. 10.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, the kite of my invention comprises a wing W having substantial area which acts as a supporting or elevating surface while the kite is in the air. wing W may be of any suitable shape or configuration and, as a preferred arrangement, it comprises a longitudinal member I and a transverse member 2, the latter, preferably, being of curved configuration and symmetrically arranged with respect to the longitudinal member I, adjacent surfaces of the members I and 2, preferably, being suitably secured together, as by adhesive locally applied or otherwise as may be desirable.

The frame formed by the members I and 2 serves as a support for a sheet 3 of paper, treated fabric, or equivalent wing material which should be adhesively or otherwise suitably secured to said frame members i and 2. At the ends of the frame members i and 2, tabs 5 may be adhesively secured to adjacent surfaces of the" sheet i and the respective frame members so as to more securely retain the sheet I in proper position. The edges of the sheet 3 may be folded as indicated at 5 and the folded edges adhesively secured to the adjacent sheet surfaces. If desired, a wire or string, not shown, of small diameter may extend around the outer surfaces of the wing W between the above noted folded edges thereof.

In accordance with the invention, the frame formed by the members I and Z carries a support for a suitable rotor R having any desired number of blades. As herein shown, this rotor support is of tripod configuration in the sense that it is formed from three members 6, l and 8, themembers 6 and l, preferably, being pivoted to the frame member 2 equi-distantly from the member l and the member 8, preferably, being pivoted to the frame member 5. Anysuitable pivotal ararngement may thus be utilized for each of the members 6, 'l and 8. As shown. in Figs. 3 and 4 with respect to the members i and 8, each pivotal arrangement may comprise a wire 9 which is disposed around the frame member l and which extends through an opening formed in a flange forming part of a collar ill secured to the member 8.

When the members 6, l and 8 are positioned as shown. in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the upper flat ends thereof are disposed against the respective flat sides Ha. of a structure ii, the lower end of which is threaded for the reception of a sleeve nut it which serves to detachably clamp the upper ends of the members 6, l andfl to the structure ll. Upstanding from the structure H is a pin or spindle l3 which forms an axle for retaining the rotor R on the bearing formed by the conical upper part of the structure II, the spindle i 3 being inclined to the plane of the wing W so that the rotor R. is similarly inclined. As shown in Fig. 8, the pin i3 is threaded for the detachable reception of a nut M which may have a conical surface facing the conical bearing of the structure ll. I

The rotor B may assume any one of a variety of forms. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3- and 5, said rotor R comprises a pair of cardboard or equivasecured thereto in transverse relation, all of the members E8 of each rotor blade being disposed.

substantially in a single plane which may be curved. The frame formed by each rod II and the associated members l8 serves as a support for a sheet [9 of paper, treated fabric or the like which should be adhesively or otherwise suitably secured .to the associated rod ll and members l8. Preferably, the sheet i9 is of double thickness as indicated in Fig. and, if so, the marginal edges thereof removed. from the rod I! should be adhesively secured together as indicated at lSd. This margin of each rotor blade trails during rotation of the rotor and, therefore, said margin should be curved, for example, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 so that the rotor blade width decreases toward the ends thereof. Preferably, the rotor blades are curved in a direction extending longitudinally thereof whereby, during flight of the kite, they extend upwardly as shown in Fig. 2.

The inner ends of the rods it may be secured to the disks l5, I50, in any suitable manner. Thus, for example, adhesive may be applied to the facing, surfaces of the disks l5, 15a and to .the inner ends of the rods !8 whereupon said rods lil'may be symmetrically arranged as shown in Fig. 5, and. the parts clamped together until :40 the adhesive dries. It has been demonstrated in practice that a union of this character yields satisfactory results.

The kite should be equipped with a suitable string arrangement for controlling the flight 45 thereof. Thus, strings 20 may be secured to the transverse member 2 equal distances from the longitudinal member land a string 2| may be secured to the longitudinal member 8 toward the rear of the kite. These strings 26 and 2| may be 50 knotted as indicated at 22 so that the kite string 23 may be attached thereto. Further, the kite should be equipped with a suitable tail 24.

It will be understood that the weight of the kite should be kept at a minimum value. Therefore, it is desirable that the members I and 2, the members 6, l and 8, together with the rotor rods it be formed from bamboo, lightweight wood, or equivalent.

With the various parts associated in operative 1 60 relation as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the kite may be maneuvered while facing the wind so that it will rise in the air in response to the action of air currents on the wing and rotor surfaces. During flight of the kite, the rotor R rotates in a clockwise direction, Fig. 1, and the blades thereof describe a path which in part, at least, overlies the wing W. Therotor R contributes its share to the elevating characteristic of the kite and it isbelieved that, by reason of the disposal of the rotor R above the wing W, said rotor R tends to and does greatly decrease the tendency of the kite to partake of side swings. In any event, a kite constructed in accordance with the invention has been flown with marked success. Further, the rapidly rotating rotor R contributes in a desirable sense to the novel appearance of the kite when it is used as a toy.

In order to disassemble the kite, it is necessary merely to remove the nut Hi from its spindle l3 whereupon the rotor R may be removed. Thereupon, the sleeve nut l2 may be threaded upwardly to disengage the upper ends of the members 6, I and 8 and then the latter may be folded downwardly so as to be disposed flatwise on the upper surface of the Wing W. In as simple a manner, the parts may be associated in operable relation. This feature of the invention is of importance because shipment may be effected with the parts in disassembled relation with consequent saving of space and prevention of damage. Then, in a store, at the home of the purchaser, or elsewhere, each complete kite unit may readily be assembled for display or use.

Referring to Figs. and. 11, I have shown a modified arrangement for attaching the rotor blades to their supporting disks. With this form of the invention, the construction of the disks I5, i511 is such that pockets 25 are provided which are inclined upwardly to some extent. These pockets 25 are symmetrically arranged and they receive the respective rotor blade rods l8 which are fastened in position in any suitable manner. With an arrangement of the character illustrated in Figs. 10 and. 11, the rotor blades may be straight and not curved. This is desirable be- "cause contributing to the saving of space during shipment.

While the invention has been described with respect to certain particular preferred examples which give satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing-from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A kite adapted to be controlled during flight by a string or the like, said kite comprising a wing having substantial area, a rotor support extending upwardly from said wing, and a rotor freely rotatable on said support, the rotor, during flight of the kite, being disposed at a higher level than said wing.

2. A kite adapted tobe controlled during flight by a string or the like, said kite comprising a wing having substantial area, a rotor support extending upwardly from said wing, and a rotor freely rotatable on said support, the rotatable axis of said rotor being inclined to the plane of said wing, the rotor, during flight of the kite, being disposed at a higher level than said wing.

3. A kite adapted to be controlled during flight by a string or the like, said kite comprising a wing having substantial area, a rotor support of tripod character extending upwardly from said wing, and a rotor freely rotatable on said support, the rotor, during flight of the kite, being disposed at a higher level than said wing.

4. A kite adapted to be controlled during flight by a string or the like, said kite comprising an elevating wing having longitudinal and transverse frame members, a rotor support comprising members attached to said frame members respectively, and a rotor freely rotatable on said support.

5. A kite adapted to be controlled during flight by a string or the like, said kite comprising a comprising a plurality of members extending upwardly from said wing, means for supporting said members so they may be collapsed, and a rotor freely rotatable on said support when it is in upstanding relation.

6. A kite adapted to be controlled during flight by a string or the like, said kite comprising a wing having substantial area, a rotor support comprising a plurality of members extending upwardly from said wing, means for supporting said members so that they may be collapsed toward said wing, and a rotor freely rotatable on said support when it is in upstanding relation.

7. A kite adapted to be controlled during flight by a string or the like, said kite comprising a wing having substantial area, a rotor support comprising a plurality of members extending upwardly from said wing, means for supporting said members so that they may be collapsed, means for retaining said members in upstanding relation with respect to said wing, and a rotor freely rotatable on said support when it is in upstanding relation.

8. A kite adapted to be controlled during flight by a string or the like, said kite comprising a wing having substantial area, a rotor support comprising a plurality of members extending upwardly from said wing, means for supporting said members so that they may be collapsed toward said wing, means for retaining said members in upstanding relation with respect to said wing, a bearing carried by said rotor support, and a rotor detachably carried by said bearing.

9. A kite adapted to be controlled during flight by a string or the like, said kite comprising a wing having longitudinal and tranverse frame members, a rotor support adapted to extend upwardly from said Wing, said rotor support comprising members pivoted to said frame members, means for retaining said members in upstanding relation with respect to said wing, a

bearing carried by said rotor support, and a rotor detachably carried by said bearing.

10. A blade for the rotor of a kite, said blade comprising a rod, supports extending transversely of and secured to said rod, and a surface of sheetlike material adhesively secured to said rod and supports.

11. A blade for the rotor of a kite, said blade comprising a rod, supports extending transversely of and secured to said rod, and a double-thickness surface of sheet-like material adhesively secured to said rod and supports, the width of said surface decreasing toward the ends of said rod.

MANUEL CARRASCO. 

